Sailors' Rest

Sailors' Rest is the busy waterfront restaurant and bar on the corner of Moorabool Street and Eastern Beach Road, directly opposite the Geelong foreshore. It opens from 11am daily, running to 10pm most nights and 1am on Fridays and Saturdays. The menu is broad and produce-driven with plenty of seafood: fish and chips, calamari, fettuccine marinara and chicken parmi, all served with Corio Bay as the backdrop.

The dog setup

Dogs are welcome in the ground-level al fresco dining on the pedestrian walkway side, under umbrellas with bay views. Everything else, including the main dining rooms, the second-floor lounge and the rooftop bar, is people only, so the dog stays at ground level. Water bowls are often available, but bring a portable one for busy periods when staff are flat out.

The vibe

This is a high-energy venue that trades on its position and people-watching, and it draws a serious crowd on sunny days and during waterfront events. It can get loud, so a settled, sociable dog will do far better here than a noise-shy one. Aim for a calm sunny session, go early or midweek to dodge the weekend rush, and pick your timing carefully if your dog spooks at crowds.

Getting there and a walk first

The address is 3 Moorabool Street on the foreshore corner. Paid parking runs along Eastern Beach Road and at the nearby Moorabool Street lot, and it fills fast on weekends and warm days. Eastern Beach Reserve sits directly opposite for an on-leash stroll, and the waterfront boardwalk stretches along the bay for a proper warm-up lap.

Along the same foreshore, Edge Geelong and Pavilion Geelong are short walks away with outdoor seating of their own, and Fishermen's Pier does the seafood dinner alternative. More of the area is on the Geelong destination page and in the VIC restaurants index.